Copyright © 1998 by Cynthia Teeters. All Rights Reserved. 

Unless the medical referral specifically mentions dental problems, this issue is often overlooked until the child is adopted and living in a new family. Ideally at this point, parents may wish to wait until the child is able to understand his new language and feels safe with his parents before starting any dental work. Unfortunately, some families discover that a child's dental problems are too pressing to wait. Poor care and nutrition often combine to cause cavities, misalignment, missing enamel, and misshapened or discolored teeth. Often the work needed to address these problems are extensive and costly and are not adequately covered by insurance.